Kochi: Chevalier Advocate V.C. Sebastian, Secretary of the Laity Council of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), has issued a strong condemnation of extremist attempts to target Christian educational institutions in Kerala. He asserted that the recent controversies surrounding the closure of St. Rita’s Public School, Palluruthy, in the name of religious dress codes represent a direct assault on the democratic and secular values enshrined in India’s Constitution.
Sebastian criticized what he described as “organized terrorism under the pretext of religious identity,” stating that such actions are a disgrace to India’s secular governance and an outright violation of fundamental rights. He emphasized that educational institutions have the full legal authority to decide their uniforms and operational policies, citing multiple judicial precedents supporting this autonomy.
He recalled the 2018 ruling by Justice Mohammed Mustaq of the Kerala High Court, which affirmed that school managements have exclusive rights to determine their dress codes. Similarly, the Karnataka High Court’s 2022 verdict upheld that students unwilling to comply with institutional uniform policies may seek transfer or exemption instead of imposing personal religious expressions within secular learning environments.
Expressing disappointment at the inaction of political leadership, Adv. Sebastian accused Kerala’s ruling and opposition parties of maintaining “a deliberate and dangerous silence” in the face of extremist provocations. He warned that this silence emboldens radical forces seeking to undermine the judiciary and disrupt social harmony.
“The political, religious, and communal leaders of Kerala must stand up against these systematic efforts to paralyze our legal and judicial systems,” he said. “Remaining silent in the face of such injustice is nothing short of terrorist slavery a betrayal of the state’s democratic conscience.”
Adv. Sebastian underscored that the school uniform represents equality, discipline, and unity among students, transcending divisions of caste, creed, or religion. He reminded that even the Muslim Education Society (MES), in its circular dated April 14, 2019, had clearly stated that attire based on modernity or religious customs should not be permitted within educational institutions.
“Despite such clarity, deliberate agendas continue to emerge under the guise of religious freedom,” Sebastian noted. “These are calculated moves aimed at testing how far extremist ideologies can infiltrate educational spaces. If tolerated, such trials will transform our classrooms into recruitment grounds for radicalism.”
Sebastian emphasized that schools exist to nurture future citizens imbued with brotherhood, mutual respect, and patriotism not to serve as arenas for communal confrontation. He warned that those instigating young minds in the name of religion are attempting to destroy Kerala’s long tradition of harmony and intellectual freedom.
“Those entrusted with the moral and civic formation of our children must ensure that classrooms remain spaces of learning, not laboratories of fanaticism,” he said. “The tragedy at St. Rita’s School must never be repeated anywhere in Kerala. Such terrorist acts that make our youth scapegoats for extremist politics will be opposed at every level.”
Chevalier Adv. V.C. Sebastian’s statement has been widely viewed as a powerful defense of secular education and institutional integrity. His remarks echo growing concerns among Christian communities and educators that political appeasement and communal pressure could erode Kerala’s pluralistic educational system.
As tensions continue over attempts to enforce religious symbolism in schools, Sebastian’s call serves as both a warning and a rallying cry urging society to protect Kerala’s campuses from the creeping influence of extremism and to reaffirm education as the cornerstone of peace, equality, and national unity.